


You Know Them?

by laadychat



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Gen, Lila salt, alix is the homie, but the class has some fun, lila gets exposed, she's got most of the class's braincell, the whole class pulls a prank
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:07:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22277602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laadychat/pseuds/laadychat
Summary: Alix came to a clear conclusion- Lila Rossi wasn't someone to trust and Marinette had a point. But after pointing out some rather obvious things, the class fully believes her and Lila needs to be stopped.But what's wrong with a little prank? Besides, how many famous people does Rossi actually know?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alix Kubdel & Lê Chiến Kim, Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Alix Kubdel, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Lê Chiến Kim, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Nino Lahiffe
Comments: 322
Kudos: 2701
Collections: Lila Anon Support Group





	1. Jealous? What's That?

Alix has been pretty skeptical since the whole incident that happened last week.

You know, the _one_. The one where Marinette supposedly stole the test answers, cheated, pushed Lila down the stairs, and stole Lila's necklace. 

That whole day was just... so _bizarre_. And she wasn't the only one who thought so. Nathaniel even mentioned how it looked so planned. And the only person who was involved with all of it besides Marinette was...

 _Lila_.

So Alix was definitely more wary of her. And it wasn't until Nathaniel brought up how Lila said she knew some famous manga publisher in Japan, that everything started to make a bit more sense.

And boy, was she _pissed_.

She explicitly remembers how just the other day, Lila said she didn't like manga and never wanted to visit Japan. How could she do a complete 180 change and declare to even knew someone who publishes them?

She didn't think it made sense and she said just as such to Nathaniel.

"You think she was just saying that?" Nathaniel asked, hurt clear in his voice as he looked down. "Why would she say that to me then?"

Lips set in a firm line, Alix shrugged. "She told me she loved to roller skate but when I asked to do it with her one day, she said she couldn't because of her wrist." Alix frowned, not at all happy with how she tricked her friend. "This makes no sense."

Their conversation ended there as they both heard Alya grunt and a frustrated sigh. "Marinette said she won't be coming to the thing after school. You think it's because Lila will be there?"

Perking up at that, Alix eyebrows shot up. She's noticed how lately, Marinette would stay away from anything that concerned Lila. Even yesterday, the moment Lila was also in the area, she stayed for all of five minutes before leaving. Maybe Marinette knew something the other's didn't.

"She tends to not be around whenever Lila is. I thought you knew why." It was Rosè who spoke up, her eyebrows furrowed, her tone matching the confusion on everyoneev face.

_So I wasn't the only one who noticed._

Alya shook her head and slouched in her seat. "Marinette doesn't like Lila and I have no idea why. I could have sworn they'd be friends with how awesome they're both are."

"Maybe she's jealous of... Lila..." Max started to say but even by the end of that sentence, it was clear he realized how ridiculous it sounds.

Alix couldn't help it, she snorted. Marinette? Being _jealous_ of Lila? She never heard a more ridiculous claim! "What does Lila have that M would be jealous of? No, if Marinette doesn't like Lila, it has to be for a legitimate reason."

The class murmured their agreement because yeah, what did Marinette have to be jealous about? She had so many approval from many well known people and hell, Alix felt lucky to even call her a friend.

Which is why this whole thing wasn't sitting right with her. Why did all those things happen to Marinette? And why was Lila in the middle of it?

The only logical explanation would be that Lila was the reason it all happened. And Alix really didn't know what to do because if that was true, she hopes never to see that girl's face again.

She was not great with controlling her emotions.

But the more Alix thought about it, the more the sinking feeling in her gut increased. Thinking back, she also remembers Lila telling Alya about being friends with Ladybug and how she told Nino her mentor was a well-known DJ.

It's almost as if Lila was saying things, knowing it was sure way to get everyone's attention. As if she was taking their hobbies and interests and lying about it so we'd like her.

Suddenly, it made more sense why Marinette stayed clear from that girl. _She knew._ And tried to warn us about it before. Sitting back in her chair, her fingers drumming against the desk, she came to a decision.

Alix was going to _drag_ this Rossi girl to the _ground_.

-

Lila was standing just outside the classroom and despite the completely oblivious classmates, she heard everything.

And she wasn't happy at all.

Her classmates knew Marinette didn't want to be around her and instead of coming to the Italian girl's defense, they agreed that Marinette must have a solid reason. Worst of all, _Alix_ was the one backing this up.

Lila needed to do some damage control. Starting with getting Alix to be so admired by her, she wouldn't hesitate to put that noirette girl in her place.

Yes, Lila knew just what to do to get Alix on her side. With a smug grin, she opened the classroom door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Trust me, watch this guys."

By the end of the day, after listening to Lila talk about all her adventures, Alix was convinced the Italian girl was a con. The more Alix tried to dig deeper into any story, the more unrealistic it sounded.

"I think you're right." Nathaniel muttered, staring at the classmates who surrounded Lila. "It's like when someone brings up a topic, she immediately talks about how she knows someone famous in regards to it."

Alix nodded, satisfied that someone else was seeing just exactly what she saw. "She also makes everything about her. Watch this."

Walking up to the group, Alix squeezed herself in between Alya and Mylene. After listening for a few minutes, she grinned. Lila was talking about an adventure she took with Ladybug.

 _Perfect._ "Oh yeah, Ladybug is so cool. Hey, remember that day my brother was about to send Alya to that hole thing because she was the perfect sacrifice apparently and Ladybug took her place?"

And just like that, as Alya spoke animatedly about the whole experience, Alix made sure to watched how Lila reacted. When she saw the frown and roll of her eyes, the pinkhaired girl knew she was right.

"Oh! That's so unfortunately, Alya! Reminds me of that time I was taken by this tribe's leader in..." By then, Alix was satisfied. It proved her point and she turned around, grinning at Nathaniel as she walked towards him.

Pointing her thumb over her shoulder towards the group of classmates, she rolled her eyes. "What did I tell you? She loves talking about herself."

"Do you think we should tell everyone?"

At that, Alix shook her head. "Remember what happened when Marinette said something? No, we're going to have to find away to prove Lila is lying without her knowing." Frowning, she sat down next to her friend. There had to be _some way_ they could prove Lila was lying. What if she said something that everyone else knows is false? That could get everyone to start thinking about the stuff she says, right? "Maybe you're right, I think we should bring it up to them later. I have an idea."

-

Later that day, while she was laying on her bed, she pulled up a group that was created some time ago when it was clear both Lila and Marinette weren't getting along.

 **Alix:** guy theres something i wanna bring up

 **Alix:** it's about lila

 **Rose:** what's up?

 **Alya:** something happen?

 **Alix:** i don't trust lila

 **Alix:** and before you start yelling at me, think about everything thats happened last week

 **Ivan:** wym?

 **Juleka:**?

Pausing, Alix was surprised of the lack of backlash. She was honestly expecting someone to immediately shut her down. Seeing this as a good sign, she decided to go forward with her idea.

 **Alix:** we all kno mari can be a bit weird sometimes but no way in hell would she cheat on a test especially when we all kno how hard she studied for it

 **Nathaniel:** and we know marinette can be kinda clumsy but if she really did push lila down the stairs, she'd go to hell and back to make sure lila got the help she needed

Alix couldn't help the grin the grew on her lips. She was expecting to bring this all up by herself but having Nathaniel backing her, well, they _had_ to listen to them. 

**Alya:** you know.. i always thought it was a little odd m had that necklace in her locker

 **Alya:** esp wen she makes her own hero jewelries

If there was one person Alix was dreading, it was Alya. But to see her not immediately go to Lila's defense-

 **Alya:** what does that gotta do with lila tho

Ah, there was that question she was waiting for.

 **Alix:** so we all agree there was no way m could hav done all those things, rite? i find it strange lila was in the middle of it all tho

And there. She said it. She saw multiple bubbles pop up, indicating that more than once person wanted to respond. But for a couple minutes, no one replied.

 **Kim:** thnk god ur not bying lilas shit

 **Kim:** m said that lila said she had a disease that made her lie all the time

 **Kim:** which strangely helped m come back to school???

 **Nino:** yea and the principal bought it

Hold up.

_What?_

Now that was something Alix definitely had no idea about. Was her eyes fooling her? Had Lila really said she had some sort of disease that caused her to _lie?_ So if the Italian girl was in the middle of all it all and then turned around, declaring everything a lie-

Does that mean she _deliberately_ tried to get Marinette expelled?

 **Alix:** waaait so lila said marinette did all of that then suddenly said a disease caused her to lie about it all???

 **Alix:** was she purposely trying to get m expelled?????

All at once, the group chat exploded with everyone trying to make sense of the situation. Some were saying there was no way Lila would ever do something like that to their class representative while others were countering it with their own evidence.

She doesn't blame her classmates- they don't want to believe someone they thought was so cool was only making things up to them. At least they've agreed on one thing-

Marinette wouldn't do any of those things.

Well, at least, not _intentionally_.

 **Alix:** guys guys wat if i asked her a q tmr, something we all kno is true, and see how she responds? and alya

 **Alix:** ask her about, idk the new heros? like rena rouge and see what she says

With that said, she closed out of the chat and opened up a contact. If what Kim says is true, then she definitely needed to hear it from him personally. Hitting the facetime button she laid back on her bed, the questions dying to escape her throat as she waited for him to answer.

_"What?"_

"Is it true?"

_"What?"_

Staring at him, Alix barely restrained the urge to roll her eyes. "The disease. The one that caused Lila to lie? About Marinette?"

He raised an eyebrow and nodded his head. _"Yeah, I don't know how Mr. Damocles bought that shit though. And Marinette was pissed."_

She frowned, not at all understanding how _any_ of this was happening. "With all those disabilities she says she has, I don't think the school is accommodating properly."

Kim snorted. _"Sure, sure. That would make more sense if her health record wasn't lacking. Nino and I broke into the nurse's office the other day and get this- hey!,"_ he yelped after what sounded like something had hit him and he moved out of the frame. _"It's just Alix!"_ he yell, his voice far from the phone and she watched curiously, wondering just who was with him. 

After a few moments of silence, the phone moved to show Nino this time. _"Anyone with you?"_

"No. What did you and Kim do?"

_"I want to tell her!"_

Nino stared at Alix, deadpanned. She snickered, glad for once it wasn't her who has to deal with Kim and his antics.

 _"Of course you want to tell her."_ His voice was completely void of any emotions, something she realized that only Kim was able to bring out in the boy.

After some more movement, the Vietnamese boy was back in the frame, grinning from cheek to cheek. _"As I was saying before being rudely interrupted-"_

_"It was your dumbass idea!"_

_"Nino and I broke into the nurs-"_ Gasping, Kim's eyes widened and he snapped his head towards the left. If there's one thing Alix was certain of is that Kim could be extremely dramatic when he wanted to be. Which means she had witnessed many great faces he could produce but his face right now? The face he was making at the boy next to him had to be by far the _funniest_ she's ever witnessed. _"Don't act like you didn't plan everything!"_

_"How do I always manage to get into these situations with you?"_

_"Because we needed to know the truth, that's how!"_

"Can you guys stop flirting and tell me what happened?"

Kim huffed before facing the phone once again. _"Lila's record is basically bare. She's done all the necessary shots and everything but there's nothing about disabilities."_

Eyebrows shot up as she digested this new piece of information thrown at her. "Wait, wait, wait. What?"

He nodded, voice serious as he repeated himself. _"No record of any disability. Even about her wrist. And you know how much the nurse cares about the students- she'd definitely have written that down."_

There was that proof, that solid reasoning that would leave no doubt in anyways mind-

Lila has been playing them ever sense she transferred to their class.

"What a b-!"

" _Language_." She heard Nino shout from somewhere away from the phone.

Letting out a grunt, Alix closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "We have to do something."

As if that was Kim was waiting for, he nodded enthusiastically. " _Yeah, definitely! But Nino and I haven't been able to figure out what to do."_

" _Just as long as it doesn't evolve breaking and entering again."_ she heard the said boy mutter but it didn't matter-

She just thought of the best way to get back at their class liar.

"You know how she says she knows all these celebrities?"

Kim raised an eyebrow and Alix continued. "What if we start talking about something and when Lila says she knows someone in regards to it-"

_"You bet your ass she'll say something about-"_

_"Language!"_ Nino yelled.

"And we tell her a name of someone not related. If she agrees that they know them, it's a sure way to show the class what a con artist she is!"

Once those words slipped past her lips, she almost regretted them when she caught sight of Kim's mischievous grin. _Almost._

_"This will be fun."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alix is a whole mood and in most my fics, kim and nino back up mari, periodt. you will have to yank it out of my cold dead hand for it to happen otherwise.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phase one.

Lounging on the floor of a room that didn't belong to him, Adrien glared at the magazine in his hand. "I've seen kids design better pants then this horrendous thing. I can't believe father made me wear _this._ I was so mortified."

The other person in the room simply rolled her eyes and chucked a pillow his way. "They weren't _that_ bad, you're just being dramatic."

Adrien sat up, successfully dodging the pillow and held up the offending magazine towards her. "Look at it closely and tell me you wouldn't _rip these to_ _shreds_."

Marinette hardly glanced at the picture and just stared at him, her voice deadpanned. "I will disown you if I ever catch you wearing these, Agreste."

"Exactly! I think he did it cause I snuck out of the house last week." He dropped the magazine, scowling as he looked away. "Come on slowbutt, I want to catch up with Nino before class starts."

Snickering at his antics, Marinette grabbed her bag and followed the model out the door. "You still free during the lunch period?"

"As far as I'm concerned, yeah. If anything, I'll just turn my phone off. Change of plans? Whoops! Phone's dead." He winked at her and the grin on his face was downright mischievous. Shaking her head, Marinette grimaced. That glint in eyes plus that smirk? It was never a good combination.

_('People love this look, Mar. Quit hating'. 'Sure, sure, model boy.')_

They continued to bicker, up until the front doors of their school. Something neither of them imagine happening mere months ago but they wouldn't have changed a thing to get to this point.

It was comforting, if anything else. They both had so much in common(one of them of course being their genuine dislike of a certain classmate, which _might_ or _might not_ have been the catalyst to their blossoming friendship) and Adrien was happy. Marinette was no longer stuttering, she was joking with him, teasing him, and was never afraid to call him out on his bullshit. Which was something he absolutely adored and cherished.

And when he caught sight of the boy wanted to see, grabbed Marinette's shoulder and led her towards him. "Nino, Marinette threatened to disown- woah!"

A hand sudden shot out, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him aside. Shoulder's hunched, he was able to yank his arm back when he caught sight of pink hair.

"Sorry Nino! I'll return him soon." Alix barely paid a glance back to Nino as she dragged the blonde boy further away from the group. "Agreste, I have a question."

"Can I have my arm back first?"

She continued to move them until their friends were out of sight before dropped his arm. "What do you think of Rossi?"

He was rubbing the part of his arm she grabbed when he paused and snapped his head towards her. "What?"

"To be blunt, I don't like her. Actually, at this point, I think majority of the class finds her a sleazy lying little rat, but what's your opinion?"

He blinked, jaw unhinged as he took in what she said. The words made sense when he separated them but together... "You guys know? That she lies?"

"You mean you knew?"

Adrien nodded slowly, not liking the frown on her face. "Yeah? I mean, it was pretty obvious."

Alix scoffed before shaking her head. "So you didn't say anything?" 

At that question, Adrien sighed in exasperation, having had to answer this already to a couple other people. "You guys didn't believe Marinette so me being the new guy, why would you believe me? Plus," he hesitated to say the next part but would it be wrong in causing things to be a little uncomfortable? He was the miraculous wielder of chaos for a reason. "All of the stuff she says are pretty easy to fact-check if you wanted to look into them."

Okay, _ouch_ , but Alix couldn't say anything to that, besides that yeah, they could have easily found the truth.

But now that she knows where he stans, she went ahead and told him their plan.

And Adrien, being the chaotic and mischievous lover he is, very much approved of it.

"But Alix?"

She hummed, walking back with him towards the group she dragged him from earlier. 

"You guys owe Marinette an apology."

Sighing, Alix nodded. "We know. Those who haven't already said such to her are planning on doing it during lunch." Taking off her cap, she ran her fingers through her hair. "Each person will speak to her privately though, we don't want to pressure her into forgiveness just because there's a crowd."

And Alix was proud over how her classmates realized their mistake and wanted to fix it instead of letting it fade. Although no one believed Marinette did any of those things, they didn't want to believe it was the girl she said it was. 

Even if _logically_ , Lila was the only other person involved in all of the incidents. 

Just as she was thinking about her speech, Alix walked into her classroom and all thoughts came to a screeching halt when she caught sight of the downright _murderous_ gaze of Alya Cesaire. 

And it was towards the Italian exchange student. Which only meant-

"Hey Alix!"

Forcing herself not to hurl from the (now) obvious fake sugarcoated voice that piped up next her, Alix turned around. "Oh, hey Lila."

She leaned in closer, one hand cupping her mouth as she stage whispered. "There's someone I want you to meet."

Feigning to look as curious as possible, Alix leaned in as well, her eyebrows raised. "Who?"

By then the classroom became silent and it looked like this pleased Lila, which was something that didn't sit well with Alix. "I know the person who won the world roller skating competition last year! I've told them all about you and they said they could even mentor you!"

Alix could not have had a better opportunity if she _prayed_ for it. 

Hand clasped in front of her, Alix nearly jumped from the sheer excitement of what she was about to do. 

But poor Lila, she smirked, believing that she now had Alix wrapped around her pinkie. Little did she know...

"You know Michael Phelps? That's so cool! I've always wanted to meet him!"

Lila thoughts this was perfect - she didn't even need to come up with a name now! "Yup, and he lets me call him Mike cause we're so close."

This was just perfect. Because of their loud voices, everyone heard their conversation. 

And since Kim was very passionate about anything and everything in regards to swimming, all his classmates besides _the one_ knew something-

Michael Phelps is a gold medalist swimmer who has nothing to do with roller skating. 

_Phase one was complete._

-

Lila couldn't believe how easy it was to get Alix back on her good side. She practically ate out of her hands and the way she provided a name - it caused hardly any brain thought. 

Besides, what kind of sport was roller skating? Who can take that seriously? She couldn't believe the things she has to say sometimes, why were everyone around her so obsessed with such weird things?

As much as it disgusted her to try and find common grounds, her chest swelled in pride hearing all the hushed whispers around her. 

This classroom was _hers_ and she'll prove it to Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why was Alya so pissed?

Alix was proud of the fact that nothing scares her - that was, until she saw the heated, stomach knotting, _angry_ glare from Alya Césaire. She knew the girl could be a fiery one, but holy _damn_ was Lila lucky she wasn't looking at Alya at the moment.

By the time lunch came around, Alix was almost certaing that if she didn't get Alya out of the classroom, she would blow their cover. When that sound of the sweet bell rung, the pinkhaired girl hopped out of her seat, made a beeline towards the blogger, and dragged her away.

Once she was sure they were out of hearing distance, Alix hissed, "You gotta stop glaring at Lila or else she'll know something's up."

"How has Marinette not punched her?" Alya huffed, crossing her arms. "I actually didn't even have to ask her anything - _she_ called _me_."

"Oh?" Alix raised an eyebrow, tilting her head up to stare at the girl next to her. "What did she say?"

Throwing her hand up, the burnette started to pace. "She apparently knows the identity of Rena Rouge. Then I asked her if Ladybug told her and she said no and that foxy herself told her."

The shorter girl frowned and leaned against the wall. She watched her friend's fratic pacing but for the love of life, she couldn't figure out what part caused Alya to lose trust in the new girl. "And?"

"It's a lie!" Alya stopped abruptly and faced Alix, wearing the biggest scowl she's ever seen. "Rena Rouge is apparently her other best friend from the school she went to in Italy." She rolled her eyes, but Alix leaned back a bit. She has never seen her so... angry before. "And apparently Carapace is her stalker? Come on, _Carapace_?" Alya seemed to deflated then, her shoulder slumped as she leaned against the floor. "Is that why Marinette was so persistent I delete the Lila interview off my blog?"

 _Ah_ , Alix remembers that argument very clearly. Okay, not the _actual_ argument but the aftermath of it - Alya and Marinette completely ignored each other for three days, until Alya eventually caved in. From what Alix remembers, the video had been removed, despite the anger it caused from Lila. "I guess so. Plus, lowkey, it did seem odd that Lila would know Ladybug, considering she moved to Paris after both heroes appeared."

"Marinette really saved me a bullet there, the video hardly had any views by the time I deleted it." Alya muttered, her eyes trained on the ground in front of her. Sighing, she straightened up and pointed her chin towards the direction of the lunch room. "Let's grab something to eat and meet up with the others."

Nodding, Alix followed Alya, her thoughts running over their conversation. There was just something not adding up - how did Alya know Lila was lying just by her saying Rena Rouge told her secret identity to the new girl? Did Alya know who the masked heroine is and that's why she was so upset? 

Whatever the case was, Alix was glad to have the ladyblogger on her side. This means her plan will run smoothly.

 _Perfect_.

-

"Do you think she want two meters of the cashmere fabric?"

"She was talking about needing an apron, what about muslin?"

Nino tapped his chin, eyes shifting between both fabrics a couple of more times before he spoke up again. "What about both?"

"So you'll get the cashmere and I'll get this." Kim grinned as he held up the muslin fabric. 

Alix, having decided to tag along, stared at the two boys. She didn't realize they knew so much about... fabrics. "Since when do you guys know so much about this stuff?"

Kim snorted before asking one of the store clerks how much of the fabric he needed cut. Turning back to Alix, he shrugged. "When you're around Marinette long enough you pick up on things."

Nodding his head, Nino piped in. "Remember when she tried to get everyone to learn how to sew?" When Alix nodded, he continued. "Well, Kim and I might have been a bit more interested in it and before we knew it, she even taught us how to knit."

Taken aback by the confession, the pink haired girl didn't know how to respond. There were times where Marinette tried to get her into sewing but Alix was never interested. And eventually, they found a common ground on gardening. Sewing and roller skating wasn't brought up between each other as much after that. 

Before she could question them further, her phone buzzed. Seeing the video call, she raised an eyebrow and displayed the contact to the boys with her. Answering it, she was greeted by Juleka placing a finger on her lip. She then moved the camera towards the group of kids around her. And in the center was Lila.

Moving closer to Kim and Nino, she showed them the screen and muted it before her snickers could be heard. "What do you think she's gonna say?"

 _"Oh Kitty Section might be having a showcase soon!"_ Rose exclaimed, her eyes bright with mischief. _"I'm so excited!"_

 _"I don't wanna brag but..."_ Lila started and all three of them rolled their eyes simultaneously. Since when did she not love bragging?

 _"What was that, Lila?"_ Myléne asked, her eyes wide as she turned to said girl. 

They saw Lila look around before leaning closer to the group and lowered her voice slightly. _"I know the lead singer of Kitty Section."_

Silence. So quiet, a pin drop could be heard from over the phone.

Alix was glad she had muted the call because her and the boys bursted out in a fit of laughter. Did Lila really not pay attention to the things her classmates do?

Did she not realize that everyone in the class knew who Kitty Section composed of?

 _"You do?"_ Rose gasped, her hands covering her mouth. _"That's so cool!"_

"Who knew Rose could act so well?" Kim muttered, trying - and failing - to stifle the fading chuckles. 

Nodding her head, Lila grinned. _"He even let in backstage when they came to Italy. I can get you guys to meet the band!"_

Nino choked on his laughter, shaking his head as he backed away from the phone. "I'm sorry, but what? He? And Italy?"

_"I heard you guys talk about them so much so I just had to let you know!"_

By that point, Juleka had shifted the phone to show her instead of Lila. _"Guess Lila is gonna introduce us to the boy lead singer when Kitty Section comes to Paris."_ She muttered, her eyebrows raised.

If it weren't for the fact that they were buying things, Alix is positive they would have been kicked out for being so loud. 

Once the video call ended, all three students stood where they were and stared at each, assessing the outcome of that call individually. After a moment, Kim was the one to break the uneasy silence. 

"I don't get it, did she really not know Rose is the lead singer for Kitty Section?"

Alix grimaced, her shoulders sagging. "Is this how Marinette felt when she knew Lila was telling a lie? _Man,_ I really need make it up to her."

Nino placed a hand on her shoulder, a soft smile gazed his lips unlike the lazy ones he's known for. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Lila told you things you wanted to hear. We all wanted to believe she was a good person."

Sighing at that, Alix walked with them out of the store and back towards the school. Marinette, she thought, was too kind for her own good. _At least she wasn't alone_ , she mused as she watched Nino and Kim display their latest knitting accomplishments on their phones. There had to be something she could bring to Marinette...

"Do you guys know what her favorite coffee is?"

At that, both boys halted and immediately faced their shorter friend. Kim vigorously shook his head as Nino waved the hand free from the bag full of fabric. "No! Marinette and caffeine?"

"You know how hyper Alya gets, especially in the morning after an awesome akuma battle?" Kim brought up, the sudden somber expression taking Alix by surprise. "Marinette and coffee is that times, like, fifty."

The pink haired girl assured them that in no way was she ever going to bring that bitter sweet, energized drink to their class representative. _But_...

She did hear her say she needed some earlier so maybe Alix slipped away from her companion. 

And Marinette was definitely more... _energetic_ than usual by their afternoon classes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading! sorry for the delay - been dealing w personal stuff lately but I am back to updating more frequently. Especially now that my university decided to switch in-person classes to online lol also wanna thank @ladybuginettes on tumblr for helping me with the beginning of this ♡


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kinda cliche but ehhh

So far this week, almost everyone was able to catch Lila in a lie.

Alix's favorite have been the about the Jagged Stone's Eiffel Tower, a famous computer scientist, and the voice actor for an anime series.

As time dragged on, it was clear that Lila didn't expect that they were just putting on a show. And as fun as it was, Alix decided they needed to do something else. What that something was, she wasn't sure.

Giving up on the thought, Alix groaned and laid down on her bed. Raising her phone to her face, she dialed one of the most devious people she knows.

" _Alix Kudbel, what a pleasant surprise_." Came the voice through the phone and her thumb went to the end button immediately. Just one sentence and he could get under her skin and _she hated that._

But she moved it away at the last moment and took in a deep breath. "Quit it, asshole. I need help with something."

She saw him raise his eyebrow before he shifted. " _I'm intrigued. What can I help you with?_ "

"We need to do something else - something bigger, Kim." Alix started, her eyes sliding to the ceiling above her.

She heard him hum and she glanced back over to her phone. " _I agree. We need to change tactics. Should we get someone involved?"_

Just as he was finishing his question, Alix shook her head. "Who would we possibly get? Lila's got the principle all wrapped around her pinky. She'll just say it was her lying disease and he'll let her go."

" _What about her mom_?"

Eyebrows furrowed, she stared at Kim. "What about her mom?"

" _Well, I've been thinking - since there was no disability recorded on her file, that means her mom doesn't know what Lila's been saying."_

"Wait a minute," Jerking herself up in a sitting position, she couldn't believe the idea didn't cross her mind before. Facing the phone better, she raised an eyebrow. "You want to get her mom involved?" 

" _Exactly_ ," he grinned and suddenly, Alix is reminded that as aloof as he makes himself, Kim was quite smart. Makes her feel a little had for constantly insulting him. _"If her mom doesn't know about her supposed illnesses, what else could she not know? And get this,"_ he left the frame once again and Alix could here some ruffling going on before he reappeared. " _All information about ambassadors are available to the public - the French government website lists all the ambassadors residing in Paris."_

She knew somewhat vaguely about that detail, the things she learned in French politics was a bit hazy. What Alix does know is that Lila said her mom was the Italian ambassador for France. But if Kim was bringing this up, it must be that Lila's mother isn't the Italian ambassador.

" _The current Italian ambassador to France is Martina Bianchi - I'm betting that isn't Lila's mom. However_ ," he held up a finger and frowned - the first time she's seen Kim look uncertain since the beginning of all this. " _Lila could have her father's name and Bianchi is her mother's surname. I have Max helping me and we'll keep digging. It is quite possible that her mother works in the embassy and besides,"_ his mischievous grin was back and damn, did this boy have to be so smart? Why didn't she ask for his help before? " _The best lies are spun from the truth."_

"Damn," Alix muttered, not having known Kim was so invested in this, not that she's going to complain. This was better than she was expecting. But there is one thing that might help them too. "Hey, was there an emergency contact information when you looked at her medical file?"

When she caught sight of the unimpressed look on his face, her defense immediately shot back up. Her question was legit, why was he giving her such a look? She takes it back, she no longer feels bad about the way she treats him. "It's a solid question, don't look at me like-"

" _No, no, that's not it, Alix,_ " He laughed and all Alix wanted to do was stick her hand through the phone so she could wrangle his neck. _"You're right, there was a number. I had Max run it and guess what?"_

Alix felt her anger fade away quickly to curiosity. "What?"

_"I said guess, shorty."_

"Oh my god," _She will kill him_. "I am going to _murder_ -"

" _It's not real - no one has that number. We even check to see if it has been used at all and nope. Now, you would think that the school will want to verify it, right?"_ He interrupted her and if it wasn't for the information he was providing currently, Alix would have ripped him a new one for daring to interrupt her. _Twice_. Because it suddenly dawned on her. 

"She would tell the school her mother is too busy because of her job. No one wants to bother an ambassador." She concluded, laying back down to really think of everything they've said so far.

How was it that Lila was suppose to get away with these things?

 _"I was also thinking of getting the school nurse involved._ "

 _What_? "Why?" 

" _Well, there has to be some miscommunication going on - how does the principle know a student's disability and illness_ _, ones that needs accommodation, without the nurse knowing? Nurse Josephine is head of disability as well and I know her process."_ Ah, that's right. Everyone knew Kim had ADHD, it was something he was open about. It was with his encouragement that a few students were able to be open to getting help when they needed it. " _No way would she not document a disability or illness if she was aware of it. And it doesn't matter who the parents of the child is, she will get legal documentation._

" _Alix_ ," he paused and the way he said her name, so serious and utterly clear had her stiff with caution. She has never heard him speak like this before and it unnerved her. " _If word gets out that a student wasn't getting the help they needed from disability and it turns out that they don't have the documents the student claims to have signed, it'll be bad. The school could get sued. Maybe even shut down."_

That was a scenario Alix didn't want to happen. And if there's anything she learned about Lila was that she would use anything to advantage, no matter how big the collateral damage might be. So this, she didn't want to brush off because it was too big of a possibility. But... "She wouldn't do that, would she?"

 _"You saw how pissed she'd get if anyone so much as questioned her stories. I do expect she'll take this route so it's crucial we somehow get her mom and nurse involved before word gets out."_ Kim muttered and Alix suddenly felt energized but the prospective of having a solid goal once again. She could handle sneaky, that was in her domain.

"Figure out who her mom is and try to get a phone number. Leave the subtlety business to me." With that, they bid goodbye and Alix grabbed a notebook she kept under her pillow. 

She had quite a bit of work to do.


	6. Chapter 6

It was past midnight when Alix was woken by the constant buzzing of her phone.

Who dared to interrupt what little sleep she got? Cursing, having forgotten to turn her phone off, her hand fumbled until she was able to locate the source of the godforsaken sound. Without looking at the caller, she swiped to answer.

"You better have a good fucking reason for waking me up," she snarled, refusing to open her eyes to see who she was speaking to.

_"Come out, Nino and I are here."_

_Come out?_ What does he mean, _come out?_ "Kim, what are you talking about?" Her words were slurred, still not fully awake. Surely, this is a trick and Kim was definitely _not_ outside.

" _I will buy you lunch tomorrow, just come out right now."_

Without saying anything else, Alix hung up, pulled her blanket back, and jumped out of her bed. If Kim was offering to buy food, without challenging her to a bet, he was dead serious. Plus, she couldn't exactly let the change get away from her, food was always better when it's free. _  
_

Though, why he couldn't just wait until the morning? She fell asleep later than usual - coming up with a solid plan took longer than she thought it would and she wasn't even done.

Slipping on a pair of sandals, Alix made her way to the front of the doors, immensely glad that her father was a deep sleeper. He lets her get away with things but sneaking out past midnight doesn't make the cut. Opening the quietly, she peeked out and true to his words, there he was with Nino. _  
_

"This couldn't have waited until tomorrow?" She hissed, carefully closing the door behind her. But there wasn't much fire behind her words - she was too curious. Taking a better look at her companions, she noticed how Kim was fidgeting more than usual and even Nino's eyes was shining - she suddenly forgot about her interrupted slumber. "What's going on?"

"We found out who Lila's mother is and she does work at the embassy." Kim rushed out and

and it took a moment for Alix to decipher his words but once she did, she stared at him, bewildered. It's not like she wasn't expecting him to find out but _damn_ , did he work fast.

"You did?"

"Turns out, my mother met her before. I didn't even make the connection until Kim brought it up, actually." Nino piped in, a slow grin spreading across his lips. 

The taller boy nodded enthusiastically and Alix raised an eyebrow at this. "What was the connection?"

"Nino's mom is head of the intelligence agency and as protocol, they have to security check anyone who works in the government, which includes foreign embassies." Kim answered, crossing his arms, looking very pleased with himself. "And because it's mandatory to keep document, we have a number and email."

"Well damn," she muttered, still taking a moment to run over this new piece of information. Her earlier plan was missing a piece and this? This was just absolutely perfect. She could already see the pieces falling into place. "That lowkey sounds like it shouldn't have happened." She mused, wondering how Nino was able to convince his mother in giving up that information. 

Nino shrugged, the smile on his lips unwavering. "It wasn't a breach in security - my mom is somewhat friends with her and had her number. Her name is Elena Rossi and she's the _assistant_ of Ambassador Bianchi."

"The email part was pretty easy," Kim jumped in, and suddenly, Alix realized she never wanted to get on his bad side. Like ever. "Ambassadors' emails are first and last name, including their country's initial."

She blinked, never realizing it actually was that simple. What do these guys do on their free time? Secretly work for the DGSE? 

But she quickly waved this away, deciding to not question them. Besides, with this new information, she could already see how her plan could be completed now. Why question their ways if it gets her what she wants?

With the thought of her plan unfolding, she couldn't help but grin. Hands on her hip, she tilted her chin up slightly. "Alright, here's what we should do. Kim, you know the nurse - can you try and talk to her as if you're concerned that Lila might not be getting the help she needs? Make sure to hint at some of the ways the teachers tried to accommodate to her. Nurse Josephine would be confused because how could it not be documented? Since her file is bare, she'll try to get in contact with Lila's guardian."

She paused, letting the two boys think over what she said so far. Lila's a minor - her guardian should have been the one to send over any documentation or accommodation a student would need. Or even if a student would need to take medication during school hours.

When it looked like they wouldn't question her, Alix continued. "But since the number on file isn't correct, she'll bring it up to the principal. And let's be honest - Mr. Damocles isn't the brightest person - he'll tell her not to bother the ambassador and just to accommodate her needs. So in order to avoid all that," her grin turned out right feral right then. This should work out perfectly. "Kim, you need to sneak in and switch out the numbers."

She didn't need to finish the rest of her thoughts when she caught understanding flash across their faces. And she isn't completely worried about how Kim would switch out the numbers - if he and Nino snuck in once before, they'll be able to do it again. 

"And Nurse Josephine takes her job seriously - she'll want a meeting between Lila's guardian and the principal. I hope then that Mr. Damocles mentions Lila's lying illness. I wonder how the nurse and Lila's mom would react to _that_." Kim spoke up after a moment, turning to look at Nino who also had an equally amusing look. "Nino, can you make sure Lila is no where near the office when I'm switching out the numbers?"

The aspiring DJ nodded and saluted. "We're gonna have to work quickly, the sooner the better."

Alix couldn't agree more. "By the end of this week, I want this plan to be into action - and whatever you do, make sure not to let your guard down. We need to catch Lila when she's surprised. It won't do us any good if she suspects something. And as much as our friends are great actors and actresses," she grimaced, running her fingers through the tangle mess of her hair. "I can tell everyone is reaching the end of their patience."

Once the trio had established a set time and ways in order to implement the beginning of their ideas, Alix waved them away, threatening to not be so nice the next time they wake her up in the middle of the night. Now that they have a solid next step, she would be able to sleep better.

She couldn't wait till the end of this week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope y'all are staying safe 😌


	7. Chapter 7

It was two days later, on a Wednesday, when Kim made the announcement that not only did he switch the numbers, but he also spoke with the nurse.

And by then, Alix made sure to get everyone up to date on what they did. Some were a _little_ bit upset at being out of the scheming part but _eh_ , Alix didn't find it that big of a deal. Besides, she was the one to start them on this, she'll be damned if she wasn't the cause of its end.

But she noticed that by telling her classmates about it, there was a new vigor to keep the charades up. And even she was impressed.

There was one thing she also noticed and that was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Alix could tell the class representative knew something was up. It didn't help the fact that whenever Lila left the room, everyone rolled their eyes, some snickered, and went about their day.

So Alix was prepared when the sharp glare of Marinette cornered her in the locker rooms right after school was let out. When her eyes narrowed, Alix smiled innocently.

"Is there something wrong, Marinette?"

 _What... was that?_ Alix internally cringed, did she have to sound that preppy? She never spoke like that - surely, her acting wasn't that bad, right?

The tone of her voice must have momentarily thrown her off because Marinette blinked at her in disbelief before shaking her head. "First of all, weird. Never speak like that again."

Definitely crossing becoming an actress off her bucket list, Alix concluded. Nonetheless, she straightened up her shoulder and tried to appear nonchalant by swinging her backpack over one shoulder. She has to appear normal in front of Marinette, she can't give herself away. At least not _yet._

However, acting must really not be in her forte because nonchalant was not gained when she underestimated the weight of her bag, causing her to stumble.

"O- _kay_ ," Marinette drew out the last syllable and Alix knew that this was it, she would not be able to dodge their upcoming conversation.

It's not that Alix didn't want Marinette to know, but seeing the way Lila tried to pin everything against Marinette, it made sense to keep Marinette out of it as much as possible. Especially because if what they planned happens, it's best if Lila couldn't pin anything against the class representative.

(Plus with the way they acted when she tried to tell us about Lila, it wouldn't be fair to have her do any of the work.)

"What's going on?" The noirnette asked, her stare never wavering and Alix could feel her heart race. She always tried her best to never be on the receiving end of the Marinette look but it seems like she won't be able to get out of it now.

A corner of her lip curled and jutted her chin out. Acting might not be her strong trait but bluffing and deflecting is the one thing she _knows._ "What's going on is that Kim made a bet with Ivan and I expect him to be calling me the hospital afterward. Have you heard?"

When Marinette raised her eyes, it was clear she wasn't buying the deflection. Her next words confirmed it for Alix. "I was the one who told you about that little tactic you do, did you forget?"

 _Oh... right._ "It's not a lie, though. They really made a bet!" She continued, and shrugged, still trying to seem as normal as possible.

"Alix."

Well, at least she tried. Sagging her shoulder, Alix looked down to the side. "What do you know so far?"

"I know that there's something you guys aren't telling me. I thought you all liked Lila but lately," Alix looked up when Marinette paused and she was ready for the onslaught of questions, really, she was. But she wasn't prepared for the amusement that shined in her eyes. "Whenever she leaves the room, you all just simultaneously shake your heads and then do whatever you do without actually including her. Plus, earlier today, you said, 'god, does she ever hear herself'."

Slapping her forehead, Alix let out a groan, having forgotten that Marinette was in the general area when that slipped from her lips. No wonder she came to _her._ "Um, I want to tell you what's going on, I promise. But can you promise me to wait until I come and tell you?" If Marinette really pushed it, Alix would tell her - she does deserve to know.

But instead of asking her more questions, the noirnette stared at her for a moment before shrugging. "I'm going to assume the only reason why you all won't tell me what's going on is in good faith, right?"

This time, when the shorter of the two girls smiled, it was genuine. "Mari, trust me, it isn't anything bad. You might even find it hilarious, I promise. Just wait till the end of this week?"

She sighed and nodded, moving away from blocking the locker room doors. "Fine, but you owe me something for my silence."

"Lunch is on me tomorrow?"

-

After school, Alix realized there was one thing that still didn't make much sense to her.

Alya Césaire.

Not _her_ exactly, but the way she figured out that Lila wasn't a very truthful person, is what didn' make sense to her. And she seemed so... _angry._ How did Alya know that just by Lila admitting she knew Rena Rouge's identity and that she went to a school in Italy, that she was a liar? Alix knew she shouldn't really question it - as long as Alya was on her side, did it really matter?

But as much as she wanted to brush this aside, it was nagging at her. Alya believed Lila before when she claimed to be Ladybug's best friend without any real evidence but to outright display anger when Lila talked about the fox hero? Alix couldn't help _but_ think about it.

So this is exactly why Alix found herself knocking on the Césaires' door after school. She knew the girl was home and decided that today would be the day she would confront her about it.

She might also have a slight idea as to why Alya was so certain about Lila's deceitful ways, but Alix wanted to confirm it before letting the idea really blossom.

"Oh, Alix! How are you?" Alya's father opened the door, a smile present on his face. She always thought he was really nice - almost in par with Tom Dupain.

"I'm good, M. Césaire. How are you?" She asked, wondering if Alya forgot to let her father know that she was coming.

"Good, good, Alya's in her room. Will you be staying for dinner?" He stepped aside, letting her in. Alix nodded, excited to get some good food. Whereas Marinette's family had the best bakery, Alya's definitely had the best food.

After a bit more pleasantry, Alix made her way towards Alya's room. She gave the door a single knock before opening it, giving the owner of the room a grin before jumping on the bed, effectively ruining what little peace Alya was able to get.

"So Alya," she dragged out, watching her curiously. "I had a question."

The said girl groaned, pushing her away slightly. "My bed isn't a playground, Kubdel."

Waving off the concern, Alix wiggled closer. "How did you know Lila was lying?" She started, disregarding how blunt she sounded. Beating around the bush was something Alix was never fond of.

"I told you," Alix knew she hit the nail when she felt Alya stiffen. The next words that slipped past her mouth were measured as if the other girl was thinking carefully about what she was going to say next. "She told me some things about Rena Rouge that I knew wasn't true."

"But like, how?" Alix checked the Ladyblog multiple times before she made her way here - there aren't _any_ Rena Rouge interviews.

She also noticed that there's significantly less material on the blog when Rena Rouge _was_ part of the fight.

Alix is pretty sure that isn't a coincidence.

"I've talked to her, that's how."

Rubbing her chin, as if she had a goatee, Alix raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? But you talked to Ladybug and still believed Lila was her best friend. You know something else."

"Alix," Alya sigh sounded exasperated and it only caused Alix to grin more. An annoyed Alya made never really thought about the things she says. "What is your point? Are you saying that _shouldn't_ have realized Lila lies? _"_

Shaking her head, Alix flipped onto her back and pulled out her phone. "I was just thinking... whenever Rena is fighting, there's hardly anything about the attacks on the Ladyblog. Makes me wonder if possibly..." She raised her eyes, locking them with the girl next to her. Alix didn't want to say more - what she was implying was clear as day. Now the question was, will Alya take the bait?

The silence lasted all of a minute before Alya opened her mouth. "If you want to stay for dinner, you better not complete that thought."

That was all the answer she needed and she pumped her fist in victory. But she knew Alya would be true to her words and kick her out without dinner - so she kept her little dance shirt.

Because Alya not only confirmed the identity of the fox hero but also _Carapace._ Knowing that Ladybug would eventually grant her a miraculous, Alix wasn't too bothered by this - even her older self knew the identities of Chat Noir and Ladybug,

The ringing of her phone distracted the train of her thought and when she caught the sight of who it was, all thoughts of the heroes left her mind. "Alya, it's Nino." She muttered, moving the phone so both girls were in the frame before answering the video call. "What's up."

 _"Hey, Alya."_ He started and Alix rolled her eyes. _"I was overhearing a conversation my mom had with Lila's and guess what?"_ Now that caught her attention.

"What?" Alya spoke up.

_"Turns out Lila told her mom that the school was closed for months cause Chat Noir and Ladybug never deakumatized M. Damocles when he was akumatized."_

That... _what?_

"You're kidding," Alix scoffed. "Are you saying that when she wasn't in school - supposedly because of traveling and charities, she was just chilling at home?"

"No _way,_ how did her mother buy that? Plus," The blogger shook her head in disbelief and Alix swore she could see the growing anger in her eyes, "who _lies_ about helping in charities? That's so low."

Nino grimaced and shrugged. _"She said it was because they were so busy letting the Italian citizens here know that the akuma attacks don't bring any real danger. When Lila said the school was closed, her mother just believed her. She's planning on going to the school tomorrow without Lila knowing to talk to the principle."_

Alix honestly couldn't have begged for a better turn of events - it sounds like everything would go according to plan.

"Kim said that Nurse Josaphine would be talking to her tomorrow - this would be like killing two birds with one stone. It's perfect."

 _"I'm gonna call Kim right now, he's definitely going to get a kick out of this."_ He mused before waving goodbye and ending the call. Staring at the screen, Alix couldn't believe their luck - it was possible that even without their meddling, Lila's mother would have figured things out eventually. She's heard about the saying, 'what goes around, comes around' but she has never seen it so glaringly blunt before. It does make her think a little bit more about the stuff she says and does.

"I always believed that karma was a thing but _damn,_ " Alya finally broke the silence, letting out a long whistle while she laid back down, "is this one huge, getting slapped in the face, karma."

Alix couldn't have agreed more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, i honestly think there will be maybe two more chapters after this chapter. thank you so much for the unwavering support<3


	8. Chapter 8

When the next day arrived, Alix was on edge. She knew today was the day the other shoe would fall and it was best to be patient, but she couldn't help herself. She didn't know when exactly it was all supposed to go down, just that by the end of the day, Lila's secret will be revealed.

Just before lunch, Marinette asked to rain check the lunch Alix had promised her and using the new freedom she gained, Alix dragged Nino and Kim towards a sandwich shop right across the school. She could tell they were anticipating the showdown just as much as she was. It was in the way they were both quiet, following her towards the empty booth once they grabbed their sandwiches.

The silence lasted only a few seconds.

"We need to think of some way to be there when Lila gets confronted." Kim blurted out and Alix felt herself relax just slightly. He was right, though she'll never admit it to his face.

(No need to inflate his ego - he did that himself. She did it once and he has _never_ let her forget about it.)

"You're right," Nino muttered, his eyes glued to his untouched food. "What's the best way to get into the principal's office without drawing too much attention?"

Getting into the principal's office? Alix snorted, she's been sent there more times than she can count and now, she couldn't think of a way to go there. Before, it was always because Kim and her were too competitive and loved getting on each other's nerves-

Her eyes widened at that because _of course._

"I don't like that look on your face," Nino stated, narrowing his eyes at her. "You have that look whenever Kim dares you to do something outrageous and... stupid," he trailed off and Alix saw the realization dawn on him.

Turning to face Kim, she grinned, not caring how mischievous it looked. "Kim, ready to cause some havoc?"

The said boy leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hand with an equally frightening look. "It's been a while - it's about time we visited our favorite principal, yeah?"

-

The teacher must have been expecting them to cause trouble because soon after they started sparring, they were immediately sent to the office. Alix was kind of disappointed it lasted so sort - she hasn't wrestled with any in a while. But taking it in strides, they both made their way towards M. Damocles' office.

"Do you think she's already there?" Alix whispered, adjusting the strap of her backpack. It would be funny to walk in when there's already a discussion going on, but she would prefer to be there before it all happened. There would be less chance of getting kicked out then.

Kim shrugged, his eyebrows furrowed when he glanced at her. "Well, since we're being sent here, I'm going to assume he never mentioned about being disturbed."

Again, he wasn't wrong so Alix allowed him to take the lead( _allowed_ because that's the only way anyone would lead her on anything) and waited with bated breath. She heard voices on the other side of the door that immediately halted when Kim knocked on the door.

Did Lila's mom already come to school? Did they miss the confrontation? Her thoughts were quickly spiraling but then the door suddenly opened, and the nurse stared back at them. "Kim? Alix? What happened?"

"I was wondering when they'd be sent here," the two teens heard the principal grumble before waving them inside and towards the two seats by his window. It's been a long known knowledge that those two seats were there _specifically_ for them.

Alix felt herself relax slightly. It looked like they weren't going to get kicked out any time soon and it wouldn't be long until Lila's mother shows up.

"Students, I have a question," the nurse spoke up once they were settled. Looking over at her, Alix raised an eyebrow, wondering what her question would be about. The only time she ever visited her office was when her brawls with the taller kid got carried away. "Is it true that Lila Rossi mentioned she had certain disabilities that needed accommodations in class?"

Alix, realizing that this was the perfect opportunity to be handed to her, quickly nodded and schooled her expression carefully. "Everyone knows about it - she has arthritis in her right wrist and tendonitis in her left ear!"

The nurse stared at her and Alix couldn't help but squirm in her seat - she had momentarily forgotten how intense her looks could be. Almost staring right into her soul and it unnerved her.

"That doesn't make sense..." she finally muttered, turning away to finally look at the principal. "I requested parents, multiple times in fact, to let me know about any of their kids' condition so I could make sure they get all the help they need. I never got anything back from Mlle. Rossi."

"Well, her mother is the Italian ambassador, she must be a busy woman. Surely, she'll just send the documents soon." The principal looked irritated that the nurse was bringing this up and Ali noticed how Kim narrowed his eyes. At least they were right about one thing, M. Damocles would try and brush this off.

"I think it would be best to talk to her guardian, M. Damocles. I've already called and she said she was on her way - there was something else she wanted to talk to you about specifically." 

At that, the older man sighed and shook his head. "Why would you bother her over something as trivial as this?"

Alix always had a problem with the way this man dealt with things(like letting Chloe get away with things by simply being the _mayor's_ daughter) but to just call this trivial? That didn't sit right with her at all. And when she glanced over to the boy next to her, he had an equally outraged expression.

"Watch this," Kim whispered and she sat back with her arms crossed, curious as to what he had planned. She knew how mischievous be.

"Nurse, she even mentioned about a lying illness - it was a whole thing when Marinette got expelled." He mentioned and Alix had to admit she was impressed. If she didn't know him well enough, she would have believed he was genuinely concerned. "It's how the expulsion was removed."

The older woman spun on her heel, the disbelief clear on her face when she faced them. Alix has never seen the usually kind and smiling woman so caught off guard and damn, did Kim know what he was doing.

" _What?"_ Hands on her hips, she towered over them, the shock turning quickly to displeasure. "There's no such _illness._ M. Damocles, what are these two talking about?"

The older man, realizing there was no other way out of this, slumped in his chair with a sigh. "Lisa Rossi said that Marinette Dupain-Cheng stole her necklace, plus other things, and I felt like an expulsion was the right course of action. Then Lila said that it was her illness acting up and that Marinette didn't do any of the things she accused her of. So I reversed the expulsion."

The silence following that confession was so profound, Alix was afraid to _breathe_ , much less say anything. Despite only being 16, even she could tell how ridiculous that sounded.

And she could tell the principal was thinking much the same when his eyes widen, staring at the nurse with utter horror.

But when he opened his mouth to speak, there was a voice that spoke up, with such a clear, cold tone that had Alix' hair standing on its edge. She sat up straight, her gaze darting towards the voice and _oh god._

"My daughter claims to have a lying illness?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mwuahahaaa but do expect another update either later today or tomorrow!!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just one more chapter left! ♡

The silence that resonated at that moment was so, _so_ different than the one that followed M. Damocles' confession. Looking at the woman who spoke, it was clear just who she was.

Lila looked almost _exactly_ like her.

"M. Damocles, what is this lying illness you speak of?" She brought up again, a storm hidden behind her gaze and Alix was glad she wasn't who the woman was speaking to. "My daughter has no such thing."

The man in question sputtered before standing up abruptly, finally closing his jaw with an audible smack. "Mlle. Rossi! What a pleasure to finally-"

"You must be Nurse Josaphine," the woman interrupted, her gaze shifting to the nurse and stuck her hand out. "I'm Elena Rossi, I know you had a few questions and I would happily answer them for you."

Alix could see where Lila got her skills from - her mother was intimidating. It was clear she wasn't the only person if the stuttering principal was anything to go by. She felt almost bad for him. _Almost_ but not quite because he definitely deserved to be put in his place. His fault for not doing his job right.

"Why, yes, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mlle. Rossi." Nurse Josaphine responded, shaking the outstretched hand. "Would you like to move this discussion elsewhere?"

To Alix' surprise, Lila's mother shook her head and returned her piercing stare back to the principal. "I think here is fine. I believe there's been some misunderstanding between us, M. Damocles. I was listening to much of what you said before and I want to clear some things up - I am not the ambassador of Italy. I am the secretary for Ambassador Bianchi. When you were akumatized, M. Damocles," she paused, and Alix _swears_ she heard the man gulp, "how long did that last?"

To give him some credit, M. Damocles was able to seem calm enough to answer. "An hour, Mlle. Rossi."

Mlle. Rossi hummed, her eyebrows furrowed and this was the first time Alix saw her falter. "So, the school has been open since then, I believe?"

"Yes." He nodded one, confusion clear on his face due to that statement. "Akuma attacks generally last only that long - most of them last just thirty minutes, actually."

The more the principal talked, the grimmer Lila's mother's face became, Alix noticed. It wasn't until she spoke up again that she realized why.

"I must apologize then. M. Damocles. My daughter hasn't been in school for a couple of months because, to my knowledge, the school was closed due to your akumatization. Now, I admit fault at that - I should have reached out to confirm with you. But I wonder," she stopped and straightened her shoulders. "Why have you never reached out to us?"

"Wait," his eyes widen in confusion and Alix couldn't believe what Nino said was true. Looking over at Kim, she could tell her was just as surprised too. "Lila was never on a charity trip with you?"

Alix knew Mlle. Rossi didn't hold much respect for the older man, but she could see it lower even more following his question. _I like her,_ she mused.

Shaking her head, the mother clasped her hands in front of her. "No. I work at the Italian embassy here in Paris. I work for the ambassador and I assure you, I haven't left the city since I moved to Paris six months ago."

"But... she's video called her class multiple times during those months-"

"I don't know how she got you to believe she wasn't in the city. I wished you had brought this up to me, M. Damocles. If not you, then at least her homeroom teacher." The corners of her lips tightened and Alix' felt her breath hitch when those piercing gaze landed on her and Kim. "I don't know what my daughter has been saying but she doesn't have arthritis or tinnitus."

Alix just _knew_ Kim wasn't done causing chaos when he sat forward, shoulders drooped. "She said she got the tinnitus by saving Jagged Stone's cat from an airplane." Kim piped up, a frown on his face as if he was disappointed with the fact that everything Lila said was a lie. _Man_ , Alix thought, _he's going to have to teach me just how he does that_. But hearing the sharp intake of breath, she realized with startling clarity that their plan worked _perfectly_. And they didn't even have to work so hard! To the eyes of the nurse, they were a friend worried about a friend. To the principal's, they were there because of a scuffle.

To Lila Rossi's mother, they were just two students confused as to why a classmate lied to them.

Mlle. Rossi stiffly glanced back at M. Damocles. "Please call Lila and her homeroom teacher in. I want to speak to them about this." Her voice held a barely constraint anger and the pink-haired girl was glad she wasn't on the receiving end of this woman's wrath. "I believe my daughter hasn't been truthful to anyone here."

She had to admit, she was glad this woman wasn't brushing off what Lila did. Or made excuses for her. Alix was a bit worried about that - that Lila's mother would defend her daughter despite the trouble it caused.

"Alix and Kim, you may leave to your classes - please don't cause any more trouble."

 _Damn it_ , why did he have to cut this short? It was just getting to the good part.

She had to hold back the groan that threatened to leave her lips. Reluctantly, she stood up, dragging Kim up with her. Looking up at him, she was surprised to see how blank his face was. If anything, she was hoping he'd be just as disappointed as her.

When they stepped out and got out of hearing distance, the shorter of the two let out a loud sigh. "It was just getting to the good part! I was hoping they'd forget we were there."

Instead of responding, Kim tugged her towards a different hallway. She knew this was another way of heading to the classroom, albeit a longer one. It was a bit weird, seeing how he has been quiet since leaving M. Damocles' office. He's usually the chatty one of the two - but that thought scattered from her mind when he suddenly snorting, double over, and leaning against the wall.

She didn't know why exactly he was laughing, but before she knew it, she was joining him, leaning against the wall right across from him. The whole scene they left behind _was_ pretty funny.

It took a few minutes to finally get themselves settled, at least, without falling into another fit when they look at each other.

"Man, I can't wait for Lila to walk into _that,"_ he shook his head, straightening up and grabbing his bag from where it fell.

"Yeah," Alix sighed, resigning to the fact they won't be able to witness it themselves.

"Actually..." raising an eyebrow, she looked over at him, wondering what could possibly change that outcome. He doesn't think getting into another fight would land them in the office, right? "I might have, completely by accident of course, left my phone there."

_No wonder he was so calm._

"I knew they'd eventually kick us out so I hid the phone when everyone was distracted." He continued, grinning at her as they made their way towards the classroom.

"With video?"

"With video."

If it wasn't so weird, Alix would have kissed him right then and there.

"Now," he placed his hand at the doorknob, the grin turning outright mischievous. "Let us indulge everyone else with our victory."

Often time, she forgets how dramatic he could be and rolled her eyes. But honestly, she had to restrain from yanking the door open herself. "Lets."


	10. Chapter 10

Kim was a bit disappointed - sneaking into the principal's office to grab his phone was a breeze.

He knew he should count his blessing where he finds them, but Kim loved a good challenge. When Lila's mother arrived, there was only one class left of the day and Lila never returned. It was best to assume that she went home soon after the confrontation.

His assumption was confirmed when he walked into M. Damocles' office and he wasn't there. He then stopped by the nurse's office - just to _check-in,_ and she thanked him for bringing the whole thing to her attention. He thinks that if she knew exactly why he brought it to her attention, she wouldn't think he was a good samaritan.

But then again, he doesn't feel guilty about it. Maybe later, when he sees the video in full, he would. Right now, his only thought was that they can finally bring it to Marinette's attention. Kim knew the class representative was onto them but he was glad she was willing to let it go until they told her why.

Which is exactly why he was heading over to the Dupain-Cheng bakery rather than his home. For some reason, that was where they always met up if the whole class was involved.

Must be the irresistible desserts, he believes.

When he walked into the bakery, he could feel the tension despite everyone being on the floor above him. But before he walked into _that_ mess, he thought he could have them wait a few minutes. You know, to build-up the drama.

"Hey, Mlle. Cheng!" Kim piped up when he caught sight of the owner.

She turned and gave him a smile. "Kim, it's nice to see you again, young man."

 _This woman was too precious for this world_ , he thinks, smiling. He always liked the way she treats him - like a son. "How is my favorite auntie doing?"

He spent a few minutes chatting with Mlle. Cheng and was given his favorite donuts before walking up the stairs. They always had the best and Kim would be damned if he got a donut from somewhere else.

As he was about to enter the living room, he nearly bumped into someone running _out_ of the room.

"There you are!" Alix yelled, poking his chest. "We've been waiting forever!"

Lowering his hand when he realized his donut was in no danger of getting smashed, he slowly grinned, not at all put off by the impatient classmates of his. "I was talking to Mlle. Cheng, you know, being nice?"

On the other hand, Alix was very much _annoyed._ They've been waiting for him since the school was let out - they didn't even eat any of the pastries! "Yeah, yeah," the short girl rolled her eyes, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the room. "It's because you wanted a free donut."

That was only a _bonus_ but Kim wasn't going to argue with her on that. She wouldn't give the argument her full attention so what was the point? There was no fun in that.

"Everyone's been waiting on your ass and you're out here just eating a doughnut like it isn't anyone's business." She huffed, effectively pushing him in. "He's here."

Okay, _rude,_ he thought but instead of retaliating, he just looked around the room, keeping his face as blank as possible. He knew it would unnerve some of them but _think about the theatrics of it._

Alix scowled, the irritation she felt mounting as he continued to just glance around the room. She knew how much he thrived in these types of situations but _for the love of all things,_ could he please hurry it up?

"Quit the act, Kim," this time, it was Marinette who spoke up, and she looked about ready to tackle him to the ground. And Alix was grateful - she knew only a handful of people scare him. Sadly, she knew herself wasn't on that last but _Marinette_ was.

And Kim had to admit, _that_ look scared him more than any other threat.

Digging his phone out of his pocket, he left the grin he was holding back spread across his lips, dangling the phone in front of him. "I didn't check it yet - but M. Damocles wasn't there when I walked into his office, so I know this'll be good."

Quickly, before anyone else could yell at him, he made sure the TV was on. Making sure his phone was connected to the internet, he then screen shared his phone to the television. When everything was set up, he turned towards everyone and let out a loud sigh.

"Alright, let's first catch Marinette up with what's been going on." He heard groans but he simply shrugged and flashed them a smile. "Alix?"

The pink-haired girl knew he wasn't completely _wrong_ but it didn't mean she had to _like_ it. "Fine," muttering, she stood next to him and faced their class representative. "I know you have questions and we got answers - I'll start by saying that everyone here is aware that like ninety-nine percent of the time, she's spitting utter bullshit."

Instead of looking surprised, Marinette nodded with understanding. "I figured. Whenever she left the room, you guys completely ignored what she said. I don't even hear anyone talk about her anymore."

Alix shouldn't be surprised by that confession - they honestly weren't even trying to hide it _that_ hard. At least, not in front of Lila.

"And I want to start saying that we should have listened to you from the beginning - you were right. I'm sorry we brushed your concerns aside." Alix said but before she could continue, Marinette interrupted her.

"I understand, Alix. You guys wanted to believe she was doing everything she said she was. Plus," she gave her a smile and waved her hand to gesture at everyone in the room. "Have you seen who's in our class? The mayor's daughter, the owner of the famous Ladyblog, the son of one of the most famous fashion designers - it wouldn't be too far fetched if Lila did actually do all she claimed to do. I forgive you guys."

 _How,_ was the only thing running in both Alix' and Kim's head. _How_ was it possible for her to brush this aside. But Alix came to a decision - she will do everything she can to completely make it up to Marinette. And will make sure to drag everyone else with her.

And Kim, he spoke to Marinette before all of this wasn't entirely surprised by her confession. Though, even so, he knew he still had things to make up. Glancing at Alix, he saw the determined resolute on her face and realized she came to the same conclusion. And like a dam, everyone started speaking up, saying much of the same thing.

But Alix could see that it was overwhelming the noirnette so she cleared her throat, trying to get the room to quiet down. Once she was sure she had their attention, she continued with her explanation. "I figured she was telling lies and brought it up to Nathaniel, who agreed. That's when we brought it up to everyone else - Nino and Kim already knew. Once everyone agreed though, we decided to continue the illusion that we adored her."

"While that was going on, Alix, Nino, and I started looking into Lila's parents - she claimed that her mother was the Italian Ambassador of France so her information should have been easy to find, right?" Kim picked up. "Turns out, her mother isn't the ambassador, but the _secretary._ I spoke to Nurse Josaphine about her claimed disability and I guess nothing was on the record because the nurse called Lila's mother."

Alix noticed the information Kim decided to omit and locked gaze with Nino, raising an eyebrow in amusement. Guess some things are best kept as a secret.

"But then we wanted to witness what could go down, right? So what was the best way to get us into the principal's office in an unsuspicious way?" Kim couldn't help the grin, he's still surprised things worked out the way they did.

Not waiting for a response, though, Alix picked up from her he stopped. "Kim and I are notorious for being sent to the office. We decided that we needed to be sent to the office, which is why we got into the fight before our last class. When we got there, Nurse Josaphine was yelling at Damocles - it was wonderful."

"Then Lila's mother walked in and apparently, she heard some of the things we said. While they were distracted, I set up the phone. Now," standing up straight, he swept his arm towards the television and bowed. "Please have your popcorn ready." And with that, he pressed play.

-

Kim made sure to stopped the video when Mlle. Rossi started to berate Lila, not because he wouldn't have loved to see that, but it was also something they didn't need to actually witness. He wasn't happy that she was lying and hurting his friends, but he didn't want to stoop so low and humiliate her.

(At least to his peers.)

By that point, M. Damocles had thought a suspension was necessary and Lila tried her best to get out of everything but her mother wasn't letting it go. When her mother brought up the lying illness, he swears he saw the life drain from Lila's face. By that point, Lila must have realized the grave she dug herself into - what else could she say? The principal was lying? That the nurse, two other students, the girl who got suspended and her _parents,_ were lying?

(The other reason he shut it off was because Lila's mother looked like she was about to cry. They didn't need to witness _that._ )

But _damn,_ did Mlle. Rossi have some words for their homeroom teacher. He couldn't deny that he agreed with much of her points - wasn't it a bit weird not to get word from the actual guardian of a kid claiming to be halfway across the world? Or that the student wasn't making up school work? Kim has seen their teacher pester other parents for much less so why didn't she contact Lila's mother? Maybe for the same reason as to why she never bother Paris' mayor, he rolled his eyes at this thought.

And he understands - Mlle. Rossi wasn't brushing off what Lila did. Hell, she wasn't even brushing off blame about how she should have confirmed with the school about the closure or about been more aware of what was going around. Reassuring Italian citizens that they weren't in big danger due to the akuma attacks must take over her life, he thinks.

By the time evening stroll around, only a handful of people were present. He looked around, not even entirely surprised as to who was staying the night.

"I have one question though," Marinette spoke up, eyebrows furrowed as she scanned the room. "Why didn't anyone tell me about it in the beginning? It's not like I could have screwed it up, Lila doesn't talk to me."

"We knew you wouldn't screw it up," Nino answered, setting his cap on the ground next to his sleeping bag. "It was because we knew that once Lila figured out what happened, she'd do anything to pin it on you. Even if you weren't part of it."

"She already tried, and succeeded once, by getting you expelled. We didn't risk her doing something to you until we got the adults involved." Alya continued the explanation, wrapping her arms around Marinette. "And if she finds out who told the nurse or her mother anything, you're name wouldn't be mentioned."

Kim was about to agree with it all when Mlle. Cheng's head popped in, a grim frown on her lips. "Kids, I need Marinette for a moment."

The girl mentioned simply stood up and left with her mother, but Kim had a pretty good feeling as to what it was about.

-

"Marinette," Mlle. Cheng started, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Lila Rossi and her mother are here. I didn't mention the others being here but Mlle. Rossi wanted you to speak to you."

Of all the things she was expecting, having Lila Rossi and her mother in her house was not one of them. But curiosity overruled her confusion and she followed her mother down to the bakery. In the middle of the room, a table was set up with the guests sitting there.

 _They look so much alike,_ Marinette mused before giving the woman a smile.

"Marinette, I am Elena Rossi. I want to start by apologizing for everything you had to endure because of my daughter." The woman started, her sharp glance locking gaze with her. But behind the carefully crafted strength, Marinette noticed how tired and... _sad,_ she looked. She felt bad for her - Mlle. Rossi must really not have known what Lila was up to. "Lila."

Moving her gaze over to the young girl, Marinette gave her a hesitant smile. But it quickly dropped when she locked gaze with her - Lila was absolutely _furious._

"I'm sorry about what I did to get you expelled. I know you didn't do any of that stuff because I did." She said stiffly, quickly looking away. "I hope you can forgive me for this."

As much as Marinette wanted to continue fighting her, she was tired. Taking over guardianship, fighting akuma constantly, being the class representative, and not to even _mention_ the commissions she has to get done - fighting Lila was something she no longer had the energy to fight Lila.

Especially now, with everyone realizing they were played, she really had nothing else to do. Maybe in the future, they'd be able to put this aside and become friends. Or maybe they wouldn't be friends but there wouldn't be any hatred between them - all Marinette knew at this moment was that she no longer saw Lila as an enemy.

(The only way for _that_ to change would be if Lila decided to work for Hawkmoth.)

Marinette also knew Lila didn't like to be humiliated. And after what she both heard and saw, this was definitely a blow to her.

"I hope we can put our differences aside and be friends, Lila," Marinette said, knowing it wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, but she had to be truthful. Right now, what Lila did really had hurt her. Whereas she no longer wants to oppose Lila, forgiving her was going to take a while.

A few more minutes of talk, Lila and her mother then left, leaving Mlle. Cheng to speak to her daughter.

The secret hero knew her parents felt guilty for not completely trusting her daughter.

-

Walking back into the living room where some of her friends had made bed for the night, she gave them a small smile. "Lila and her mom came and Lila apologized."

"Really?" Alix sat up, disbelief clear on her face. "I would never have expected that from her, to be honest." _An apology?_ Mlle. Rossi must really be trying to get Lila to see her ways, she mused. 

"Her mom is kind of scary, right?" Kim said instead, shaking his head. "She scares me almost as bad as your mom and mine."

The noirnette couldn't help it - a bubble of laughter made its way past her lips. She has to admit, Mlle. Rossi was someone she didn't want to cross.

When everyone else joined in, she made her way towards the tallest boy. Group sleepovers were always her favorite things and after the month she's had, this was exactly what she needed. Settled next to Kim, she sighed as she pressed against him. "Anyone down for a movie?"

Marinette rolled her eyes when Kim and Alya started arguing about what movie to watch, and she felt a surge of fondness for those around her. Then Nino - having had enough of the bickering - stole the remote and turned on a movie, she couldn't help but smile. And when Kim wrapped his arm around her, with Alix snuggled on her other side, Marinette realized that there wasn't anything about this that she'd change at all.

They might have had a rough start, but in the end, they were there for her.

-

"His hat looks like a wet dog."

"Kim, _shut up._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright homies, this is it! thank you for embarking with me on this journey! I hope you all enjoyed it - stay safe, stay aware!

**Author's Note:**

> what's up, this is based off of an au idea i had. thanks for reading! im on tumblr as @laadychat


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